Stirring the EU Pot: Estonia's Propaganda Against Hungary - Should Orban Lose His Vote?
"Estonia's Minister of Foreign Affairs Suggests Removing Hungary's Prime Minister Orban's Voting Privileges within the EU"
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Estonia's Foreign Minister, Mr. Margus Tsahkna, has thrown a stone in the EU's pond, calling for a harder stance against Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban. Dishing dirt on Hungary to the "Rheinische Post", Tsahkna accused Orban of playing right into the hands of Ruskie leader Vladimir Putin, stating, "We have a hamstrung country in Hungary, playing on Putin's turf, not our European turf."
In an audacious proposal, Tsahkna floated the idea of temporarily stripping Hungary of its voting privileges on crucial EU decisions, such as European foreign and security policy, by invoking Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union. This article allows the EU to take action if it believes a member poses a threat to Europe's security or other member states. "That's exactly what Orban is doing," Tsahkna said, dripping with contempt.
Tsahkna also pushed for seizing frozen Russian assets, claiming there's a whopping €240 billion in EU coffers, mainly in Belgium. Sanctions must be renewed every six months, and Hungary has the power to veto the process. "If they block it in June, not only will the sanctions expire, but we'll hand Putin the €240 billion." To prevent footing the bill for Ukraine's defense, Tsahkna suggested the EU should simply seize the cash. He hinted at legal avenues to make it happen, commenting, "We can't ask our citizens to foot the bill for Ukraine and not tap into Russia, the bully."
Hungary's Foreign Minister Peter Szijjarto fired back, labeling Tsahkna as one of Europe's "most strident, blinkered warmongering politicians." Szijjarto alleges Tsahkna wants to keep the Ukraine conflict simmering at any cost, without giving a thought to the risks involved. Szijjarto vented his frustration on his Facebook page.
- EU Disarray
- Sanctions and Russia
- Ukraine Conflict
- Estonia's Antagonism
Behind the Scenes:
- Article 7 Procedure: To strip Hungary of its voting rights, Tsahkna suggests implementing Article 7 of the EU treaty. However, reaching a consensus among all EU members is challenging, given the unanimous requirement for the decision[1][2].
- Russian Assets: The EU has frozen over €240 billion of Russian assets in Europe, primarily in Belgium. Hungary's approval is necessary to renew the sanctions, and if they veto the renewal, the assets could potentially revert to Russian control, as per Tsahkna's analysis[1].
- Controversial Decisions: Tsahkna's call to action against Hungary isn't solely related to Ukraine. Hungary's decision to withdraw from the International Criminal Court (ICC) has also raised eyebrows among EU members and human rights organizations[4].
- The Tangled Web: The EU's cohesion is put to the test amid complex geopolitical issues, and the prospect of revoking Hungary's voting rights is a contentious matter that underscores deep divisions within the union[5].
In short, while Tsahkna pulls no punches, stripping Hungary of its EU voting rights faces several obstacles, and maintaining unity within the EU remains a complicated task in the face of escalating international conflicts.
- The community policy within the EU may be affected by the confrontation between Estonia and Hungary, as Estonia's Foreign Minister, Margus Tsahkna, has called for temporary voting sanctions against Hungary under Article 7 of the Treaty on European Union, due to concerns about Hungary's alignment with Russia.
- There is a possibility that employment policies within the EU might be affected by the ongoing tension, as Hungary currently holds the power to veto the renewal ofsanctions against Russia, which includes frozen assets amounting to €240 billion in EU coffers, primarily in Belgium.
- The employment policy of social media platforms like Instagram, Reddit, LinkedIn, Telegram, Signal, Whatsapp, and others may see increased activity, as the escalating EUdispute between Estonia and Hungary over Ukraine conflict and Hungary's withdraw from the International Criminal Court has generated significant discussion among EU members and human rights organizations.
